Refrigerant Cycling Air Cooling Assembly

ABSTRACT

A refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly incorporating a matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits, the matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits including outdoor and indoor conduit matrixes which are in communication with each other, wherein the outdoor matrix of conduits includes a heated pressure vessel, wherein the outdoor matrix of conduits includes a condenser unit and wherein the indoor matrix of conduits includes an evaporator unit. The assembly further incorporates an electric motor driven pump connected operatively to the matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits. The pump is positioned within the matrix for impelling refrigerant condensate toward the evaporator unit. The assembly includes outdoor and indoor electric motor driven fans respectively positioned for impelling flows of air through the condenser unit and through the evaporator unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional refrigerant cycling air conditioning systems commonlyincorporate an electric motor-powered gas compressor. Such compressorcomponents typically include a multiplicity of moving parts including apair of rotating bearings which support an electric motor's rotor, arotary bearing which interconnects a crank shaft and a piston connectingrod, a pivot bearing interconnecting a piston with on opposite end ofthe connecting rod, a sliding interface between the wall of a cylinderand the piston's radially outer wall, and a pair of mechanical back flowchecking valves which coordinate flows of gas refrigerant in thecylinder with the reciprocating movements of the piston.

All moving parts of such gas compressor are subject to frictional wear,and the compressor's multiplication of such parts results in frequentmechanical failures of such compressors. Mechanical failures due to wearand degradation of multiple moving parts often causes conventional airconditioning systems to fail.

The instant inventive refrigerant cycling air cooling systemadvantageously avoids or reduces such compressor parts wear relatedmechanical failures by eliminating the compressor component, and byreplacing the compressor with a specialized refrigerant heating andpressurizing component. In the instant invention, the multiple movingparts of a compressor are replaced by a heating chamber which has as fewas zero moving parts. By eliminating multiple moving parts, the instantinventive system has enhanced reliability and is less prone tomechanical failure.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first structural component of the instant inventive refrigerantcycling air cooling system comprises a matrix of refrigerant conveyingtubes, lines, or conduits. In a suitable embodiment, the refrigerantconveying conduits comprise copper tubing which is clad by a durableplastic insulating sleeve. In a typical application and use of theinstant inventive assembly, the matrix of refrigerant conveying conduitscomprises at least two sub-matrixes including an outdoor conduit matrixand an indoor conduit matrix. Such conduit matrixes necessarily connectwith and communicate with each other for cycling refrigerant into andout of a building structure for processing by other components of theassembly which are situated within the structure and outside or outdoorswith respect to the structure. According to the scope of the instantinvention, such structures are considered to broadly include fixedbuildings and mobile vehicles having passenger compartments.

The instant invention's outdoor matrix of conduits preferably comprisesa heated pressure vessel and a condenser unit which is positioneddownstream from the heated pressure vessel. The indoor matrix ofconduits preferably incorporates an evaporator unit.

A further component of the instant inventive refrigerant cycling aircooling assembly comprises an electric motor driven pump which isoperatively incorporated within the matrix of refrigerant conveyingconduits. In operation, the electric motor-powered pump drives therefrigerant into and out of the building structure, cycling therefrigerant through all of the matrix's conduit components. In apreferred embodiment, the pump is positioned within the systems to impelrefrigerant condensate or liquid refrigerant directly toward theevaporator unit within the building structure.

Further structural components of the instant inventive refrigerantcycling air cooling assembly comprise indoor and outdoor electric motordriven fans. In a preferred embodiment, such fans are respectivelypositioned for impelling flows of ambient air through and over the coilsof the condenser unit, and through and over the coils of the evaporatorunit. Air flowing over the condenser unit emits into ambient outdoorair, carrying heat from the outdoor conduit matrix into the out ofdoors. Correspondingly, air flowing over the coils of the evaporatorunit is cooled by such coils prior to emission into the interior of thebuilding or vehicle structure, effectively cooling and air conditioningthe structurer's interior.

In the operation and function of the instant inventive assembly,evaporated or gaseous refrigerant, such as R-22 freon or EPA approvedhydrofluorocarbon R-410A refrigerant is pressurized within therefrigerant cycling matrix by the heated pressure vessel component. In apreferred embodiment, the heated pressure vessel component has very few,and preferably zero moving parts. The elimination of moving partsachieved by provision of the heated pressure vessel, advantageouslyavoids mechanical wear, and advantageously avoids wear related airconditioning system breakdowns and malfunctions.

To provide a pressure and volume transition between the portion of theoutdoor conduit matrix which resides downstream from the heated pressurevessel and the indoor evaporator unit, the indoor conduit matrixpreferably further incorporates a first capillary tube which ispositioned immediately upstream from the evaporator unit. In thepreferred embodiment, the inside diameter of the first capillary tube ismarkedly less than the inside diameter of conduit tubes situatedimmediately upstream from the first capillary tube. Liquid refrigerantcoursing at high pressure within the first capillary tube emits into thehigher volume and lower pressure interior space of the evaporator unit,resulting in instantaneous cooling of the evaporated and evaporatingrefrigerant.

In a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive assembly, a secondcapillary tube is provided as a component of the indoor conduit matrix,the second capillary tube having an inside diameter markedly less thanrefrigerant tubes extending downstream from the second capillary tube.The differential of inside diameters of the second capillary tube andsuch downstream refrigerant tubes advantageously resists counter-cyclingflows of pressurized refrigerant which may be undesirably impelled bythe heated pressure vessel toward the evaporator unit.

Operation of the electric motor driven pump component of the instantinventive assembly maintains a cyclical flow of the refrigerant whereinthe heated pressure vessel is always downstream from the evaporator unitand is always upstream from condenser. The position of the pump withinthe system also must assure that the refrigerant is pumped while it isin its liquid condensate phase. Accordingly, the electric motor drivenpump is necessarily situated within the conduit matrix at a locationdownstream from the condenser unit and upstream from the evaporatorunit. In a preferred embodiment, the electric motor driven pump ismounted for operation within the out of doors portion of the system sothat heat from the liquid refrigerant may emanate from the pump'ssurfaces into the outdoor environment. The electric motor driven pumpmay suitably be alternatively mounted upon the portion of the indoorconduit matrix which is upstream from the evaporator unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive assembly, an outdoorair plenum case is provided for housing at least the heated pressurevessel, the condenser unit and the outdoor electric motor driven fan.Further components which may be suitably housed within the outdoor airplenum case comprise the electric motor driven pump and a liquidrefrigerant reservoir.

A further preferred component of the instant inventive assemblycomprises an indoor air plenum case which at least houses the system'sevaporator unit and indoor electric motor driven fan. In a preferredembodiment the indoor air plenum unit additionally houses the first andsecond capillary tubes.

In a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive assembly, the heatedpressure vessel comprises a heavy duty and durable steel tank whichinternally houses an electric resistance heater. Such internal heatersuitably comprises a hermetically sealed copper cylinder which houses anelectric resistance heater which preferably comprises a tungsten-halogenlamp. The heated pressure vessel may be vertically lengthened oroblongated in order to vertically separate the tank's upper input andlower output port. Such vertical oblongation of the pressure vesseladvantageously establishes a gravity induced pressure differentialwherein the output port has a higher pressure than the input port. Suchpressure differential in addition to the backflow resistance provided bythe second capillary tube prevents undesirable counter-cyclical flows ofpressurized gas from the heated pressure vessel into the condenser unit.

Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of arefrigerant cycling air cooling assembly which incorporates structuresas described above, and which arranges those structures in relation toeach other in manors described above for the performance of beneficialfunctions as described above.

Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the instantinvention will become known to those skilled in the art, upon review ofthe detailed description which follows, and upon review of the appendeddrawings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to air conditioning systems. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to such systems which cyclicallydrive a refrigerant into and out of a structure to be cooled, andincorporate evaporation and condensation components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the instant inventive refrigerantcycling air cooling assembly.

FIG. 2 presents an outdoor air plenum case component of the instantinventive assembly, such component including cutaways exposing anoutdoor electric motor driven fan component and exposing a condenserunit component.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of a building structure cooled by the instantinventive assembly, the view showing an indoor air plenum case componenthaving wall cutaway sections exposing an evaporator unit component,capillary tube components, and an indoor electric motor driven fancomponent.

FIG. 4 is an exterior view of a heated pressure vessel component of theinstant inventive assembly.

FIG. 5 presents a sectional view of the structure of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an electric motor driven pump componentof the instant inventive assembly.

FIG. 7 is a view of the evaporator unit component of the instantinventive assembly, said unit being removed from the indoor air plenumcase of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 8 is a disassembled view of a first capillary tube component of theinstant inventive assembly.

FIG. 9 is a disassembled view of a second capillary tube component ofthe assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to drawing FIG. 1 , asuitable embodiment of the instant inventive refrigerant cycling aircooling assembly is referred to generally by reference arrow 1.Referring further simultaneously to FIGS. 2-7 , the instant inventiveassembly preferably comprises a matrix of refrigerant conveyingconduits. Such matrix suitably comprises conduits or tubes8,10,12,14,16,18, and 20. In a preferred embodiment, such conduit tubecomponents comprise copper tubing clad in plastic sleeves which provideprotection and insulation.

The matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits preferably comprises anoutdoor conduit submatrix 2 which includes a downstream portion ofconduit 20, an upstream portion of conduit 14, conduits 8,10, and 12,and other conduit components discussed below.

The matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits preferably furthercomprises an indoor conduit matrix 4 which includes an upstream portionof conduit 14, a downstream portion of conduit 21, conduits 16 and 18,and other conduit components described below.

Dashed line 6 appearing in FIG. 1 corresponds with an exteriorstructural building wall 6 appearing in FIG. 3 . Such wall divides theoutdoor and indoor conduit sub matrixes 2 and 4, and divides indoor andoutdoor spaces 7 and 9. The outdoor conduit matrix 2 and the indoorconduit matrix 4 communicate with each other for refrigerant cyclingflow, such communication occurring at the passages of conduits 14 and 20through wall 6.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1,2,4, and 5 , the outdoor conduitmatrix 2 preferably comprises a condenser unit 40 which receives highpressure and high temperature gaseous refrigerant from conduit 8. Thehigh pressure and high temperature gaseous refrigerant entering thecondenser unit 40 is cooled by an electric motor driven fan 44 whichdrives air over and through the condenser units cooling coils. Air 46emitting from the condenser unit 40 is heated, resulting in transmissionof heat from the refrigerant into the ambient outdoor air.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1,4, and 5 the outdoor conduit matrix2 preferably comprises a heated pressure vessel 30 which heats andpressurized refrigerant gas entering the condenser unit 40. The interioron the vessel 30 includes upper and lower gas refrigerant heating spaces31 and 32. Gas refrigerant entering the upper space 31 via conduit tube20 and through port 21 suitably comprises R-22 freon or EPA approvedR-410A hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant, such EPA approved refrigerantconsisting of a mixture of difluoromethane and pentafluoroethane. In apreferred embodiment, an electric resistance heater 36 resides in and isrigidly mounted and supported within an outer chamber or tank housing30. In such embodiment, the outer housing 30 is hermetically sealed andis composed of durable stainless steel. An interior heater and heaterhousing combination is mounted within the exterior vessel 30. Suchcombination's heater housing 35 preferably comprises a hermeticallysealed copper cylinder which contains and houses an interior electricresistance heater. In a preferred embodiment, the electric resistanceheater comprises a tungsten-halogen lamp which includes an exterior bulb33 and interior tungsten filaments 34.

In a preferred embodiment, electric voltage is applied at electricterminals 37, a 440 volt electric potential difference preferably beingestablished across such terminals. The voltage applied to the tungstenfilaments 34 causes them to heat above 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, suchtemperature being below the tungsten filament's 6,000-degree Fahrenheitmelting point. Upon such heating, tungsten atoms sublimate into ahalogen gas atmosphere within the interior of bulb 34. The sublimatedtungsten atoms temporarily chemically combine with the halogen atomsforming tungsten-halogen molecular gas. Such gas glows and transmitsheat energy through bulb 33 and through the copper housing 35.

During operation of the heated pressure vessel 30, relatively coolgaseous refrigerant preferably continuously flows from tube 20 throughinput port 21, downwardly through upper interior space 31 over thecopper housing 35, and toward the lower interior space 32 of the vessel30. The refrigerant then emits at output port 11 into tube 8. Acontinuous flow of the refrigerant over the heater housing 35 maintainsthe copper composition of the housing below its approximate 1,900-degreemelting point. The heated refrigerant gas within the pressure vessel 30advantageously exits at its lower port 11 as a high gas pressure. Suchsource of gas pressure advantageously drives the refrigerant toward andthrough an evaporator unit, as explained below.

Pressure provided by the heated pressure vessel 30 drives high pressureand high temperature refrigerant through tube 8 and, as explained above,into the condenser unit 40. Refrigerant entering the condenser unit 40is thereby converted from a high pressure and high temperature gas to ahigh pressure and relatively cooled gas. The cooled and pressurizedliquid refrigerant may then exit the condenser 40 through tube 10 toenter a refrigerant reservoir 50 where a supply of liquid refrigerant ismaintained and stored for consistent operation of the system.

The reservoir's supply tube 10 suitably includes a shut off valve 54,and an output tube 12 may be similarly adapted to include a shut offvalve 56. A purge or relief shut off valve 58 may be additionallyassociated with the reservoir 50.

The indoor matrix of conduits 4 preferably comprises an evaporator unit70. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6 , liquid refrigerant driven by acentrifugal pump 60, which is powered by an electric motor 61, enters arelatively large interior volume of the evaporator unit 70 whereexpansion and cooling of the refrigerant occurs. An indoor electricmotor driven fan 72 positioned for impelling air 74 over the coolingcoils of the evaporator unit 70 transmits cooled air into the interior 7of the building structure.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1,3, and 8 a first capillary tube coil76 having threaded coupling nuts 77 and 79 is mounted inline betweenconduit tubes 14 and 16, such capillary tube coil preferably beingpositioned immediately upstream from the evaporator unit 70. Thecapillary tube 76 preferably has an inside diameter markedly smallerthan that of the conduit 14 which feeds into such capillary tube. Suchdifferential in diameter assures that a phase inducing transition ofpressure and volume occurs at the output of the capillary tube 76. Therelatively lower pressure and higher volume refrigerant emitting fromcapillary tube 76 evaporates and instantly cools at and within theevaporator unit 70, resulting in cooling of the structure's interior 7.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1,4, and 5 , the electric motor drivenpump 60,61 resists an undesirable upstream transmission of high-pressureheated gas from the heated pressure vessel 30 counter cyclically towardthe evaporator unit 70 by establishing a continuous clockwise flow ofrefrigerant, according to the view of FIG. 1 . Kinetic flow of therefrigerant impelled by the pump 60 isolates or directs the pressurefrom the heated vessel 30 downstream and away from the evaporator unit70. The vertical column height induced pressure difference between inputport 21 and output port 11 of the pressure vessel 30 further resists anypressurized back flow of heated gasses. To provide further protectionagainst such undesirable counter-cyclical back flows of heated andpressurized refrigerant, a second capillary tube 80 is preferablymounted inline between the evaporator unit and the heated pressurevessel. Such second capillary tube 80 preferably has an inside diametermarkedly less than that of the refrigerant tube 20 which extends betweenthe capillary tube 80 and the heated pressure vessel 30.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the instant inventiveassembly preferably further comprises an outdoor air plenum case 2 whichinternally houses the condenser unit 40 and the outdoor electric motordriven fan 44. Ambient air from the outdoor environment 9 enters the airplenum case 2 through intake louvers 5 and exits upwardly through a fanoutput port 3. Such air is impelled by the electric motor driven fan 44which draws the outdoor ambient air through the coils of the condenserunit 40. Air heated by the condenser unit coils emits into the outdoors,resulting in cooling and condensation of the refrigerant. The outdoorair plenum case 2 preferably further houses the heated pressure vessel30, the electric motor driven pump and the refrigerant reservoir 50.Heat emitting from each of these structures is preferably transmitted tothe ambient outdoor air, advantageously assisting the condenser unit 40in performance of its function of cooling and liquefying therefrigerant.

Referring to FIG. 3 an indoor air plenum case 40 is preferably mountedwithin the interior 7 of a building structure to be cooled by theinventive assembly, such building structure having an exterior wall 6.The indoor electric motor driven fan 72 is preferably mounted at a lowerend of the air plenum case 4, such fan receiving central airconditioning air through a return air duct 71. Thereafter, the returnair is impelled by the fan 72 upwardly through plenum 4 to pass over andthrough the coils of the assembly's evaporator unit 70. The assembly'spreferably provided first and second capillary tube coils 76 and 80 arepreferably additionally housed within the indoor air plenum case 4.Cooled air 74 emits through an output air duct 81 for cooling theinterior 7 of the structure.

Referring simultaneously to all figures, it may be seen that the onlymoving parts of the instant inventive air conditioning system areassociated with the electric motor driven fans 44 and 72 and theelectric motor driven pump 60,61. The instant inventive assembly omitsthe gas compressor of a conventional air conditioning system.Accordingly, the instant inventive assembly advantageously eliminates amultiplicity of moving parts which are incorporated within aconventional air conditioner compressor, such moving parts beingassociated with the compressor's crank shaft, connecting rod, slidingpiston, and intake and output check valves. Air conditioning systemmechanical failures associated with mechanical wear and degradation ofthe multiple moving parts of such conventional compressors areadvantageously avoided by the instant inventive air-cooling system.

While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the aboveillustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modificationsto the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the inventionwithout departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intendedthat the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and notin the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scopecommensurate with the appended claims.

1. A refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly comprising: a. A matrix ofrefrigerant conveying conduits, said matrix comprising an outdoorconduit matrix and an indoor conduit matrix, the outdoor and indoorconduit matrixes being in communication with each other, wherein theoutdoor conduit matrix comprises a heated pressure vessel, wherein theoutdoor conduit matrix further comprises a condenser unit, and whereinthe indoor conduit matrix comprises an evaporator unit; b. An electricmotor driven pump connected operatively to the matrix of refrigerantconveying conduits, said pump being positioned within said matrix forimpelling a condensate of the refrigerant toward the evaporator unit;and c. Outdoor and indoor electric motor driven fans respectivelypositioned for impelling flows of air through the condenser unit andthrough the evaporator unit.
 2. The refrigerant cycling air coolingassembly of claim 1 wherein the matrix of refrigerant conveying conduitscomprises a first capillary tube positioned between the electric motordriven pump and the evaporator unit.
 3. The refrigerant cycling aircooling assembly of claim 2 wherein the matrix of refrigerant conveyingconduits comprises a second capillary tube positioned between theevaporator unit and the heated pressure vessel.
 4. The refrigerantcycling air cooling assembly of claim 3 wherein the indoor conduitmatrix comprises the first and second capillary tubes.
 5. Therefrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 4 wherein the outdoorconduit matrix comprises the electric motor driven pump.
 6. Therefrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 5 further comprisingan indoor air plenum case, said case housing the evaporator unit, thefirst and second capillary tubes, and the indoor electric motor drivenfan.
 7. The refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 6 furthercomprising an outdoor air plenum case, said case housing the heatedpressure vessel, the condenser unit, and the outdoor electric motordriven fan.
 8. The refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 7wherein the electric motor driven pump is housed within a case selectedfrom the group consisting of the outdoor air plenum case and the indoorair plenum case.
 9. The refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly ofclaim 8 wherein the matrix of refrigerant conveying conduits furthercomprises a liquid refrigerant reservoir positioned between the firstcapillary tube and the condenser unit.
 10. The refrigerant cycling aircooling assembly of claim 9 wherein the liquid refrigerant reservoir ishoused within the outdoor air plenum case.
 11. The refrigerant cyclingair cooling assembly of claim 10 further comprising at least a firstshut-off valve connected operatively to the matrix of refrigerantconveying conduits, the at least first shut-off valve being positionedadjacent the liquid refrigerant reservoir.
 12. The refrigerant cyclingair cooling assembly of claim 11 further comprising a valve controlledrelief port connected operatively to the liquid refrigerant reservoir.13. The refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein theheated pressure vessel comprises an electric resistant heater and heaterhousing combination, said combination's electric resistance heaterresiding within said combination's heater housing, and saidcombination's heater housing residing within the heated pressure vessel.14. The refrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 13 wherein theelectric resistance heater comprises a tungsten-halogen lamp.
 15. Therefrigerant cycling air cooling assembly of claim 14 wherein the heaterhousing comprises a hermetically sealed copper cylinder.